A 2009 first date centered on “(500) Days of Summer” became the beginning of a lasting relationship and an annual tradition for the couple who watched it together. The film, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom and Zooey Deschanel as Summer, remains meaningful not only for its story but also for the questions it raises about love.

The film follows Tom, a romantic who falls for Summer after meeting her at work. Its nonlinear structure traces the 500 days of their connection, from their growing closeness and ambiguous relationship to their painful separation after a disagreement over what they mean to each other. Summer maintains that they are friends, while Tom believes their bond is a relationship.

Its appeal lies in the uncertainty at the heart of that dynamic. The film is described as funny and self-aware, with nuanced performances, strong chemistry between its leads and a distinctive visual style. Its soundtrack, 2009-era clothing and sepia-toned depiction of Los Angeles—focused on downtown rather than the city’s more familiar postcard images—also contribute to its enduring charm.

For the couple, the film has become part of their shared life. They have incorporated lines from it into their everyday language, visited some of its Los Angeles locations and returned to it every anniversary of their first date. Although they know the film almost frame by frame, each viewing offers a fresh opportunity to reconsider their own understanding of love and their relationship.

Their discussions have explored whether Tom is a sincere romantic or simply naive, and whether Summer’s refusal to define the relationship reflects healthy boundaries or a disregard for Tom’s feelings. Some rewatches focus on one character’s perspective, while others examine whether the relationship could ever have worked or who treated the other worse.

Although the film is generally more sympathetic to Tom, it avoids offering definitive answers. Its closing idea is that true love exists, even if Tom was not destined to find it with Summer. For the couple watching it each year, that distinction gives the film its deepest personal meaning: Tom was mistaken about Summer, but the viewer believes they found their own true love.

“(500) Days of Summer” is available on Hoopla and for digital rental in the US, and on Disney+ in the UK and Australia.

Sources: The Guardian Film.